Cyprus warned of the threat of mass surveillance due to the “ChatControl” initiative

An open letter published in Cyprus calls on the country’s authorities to refrain from supporting the European ChatControl project — the EU initiative to combat online child sexual abuse. The authors warn that the proposed measures could lead to mass surveillance and undermine citizens’ right to the secrecy of private correspondence.

ChatControl is a legislative proposal of the European Commission that would require internet platforms and messengers to automatically scan all users’ private messages, photos and videos for prohibited content related to child exploitation. Experts say that such a system effectively creates an infrastructure for total surveillance, allowing analysis of even encrypted communications.

The letter is addressed to the Minister of Justice and Public Order Marios Hartsiotis, the Deputy Minister for Research, Innovation and Digital Policy Nikodemos Damianou, and Cypriot Members of the European Parliament. The document was signed by representatives of academia, the IT sector and civil society organisations, including Next Generation Internet Zero, Cyprus University of Technology and 101.CY.

The authors stress that ChatControl in its current form envisages analysis of all user messages, including private correspondence and files, even in messengers with end-to-end encryption enabled. In their view, this creates preconditions for total control over private communication and violates the data protection principles enshrined in EU law.

The letter cites the opinion of the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) and the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), which describe the project as “disproportionate and incompatible with fundamental citizens’ rights”. Experts warn that even with the revised formulations of 2024–2025 the initiative still carries risks of interference with users’ private lives and weakening the cryptographic protection of messages.

Civil society organisations called on the Cypriot government to:

— clearly state that the Republic of Cyprus will not support measures that weaken end-to-end encryption;

— hold open consultations with experts and civil society;

— seek amendments that guarantee protection of communications and proportionality of measures.

The authors emphasise that protecting children from sexual abuse remains a priority, but that this goal should be achieved through education, prevention and effective investigative tools, not through mass scanning of private messages.

Several EU countries, including Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, have already publicly stated that they will not support ChatControl in its current form because of the threat to constitutional rights. In Cyprus, however, the signatories say, the issue is still being discussed without sufficient transparency and public participation.